10 Famous People Who Narrowly Avoided 9/11
The Anti-Slavery Collective / YouTube
September 11, 2001, is a day etched in the memories of all who lived through it. The attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon shook the United States and the world. Many stories emerged of individuals who were supposed to be in or around the affected areas but, due to twists of fate, narrowly escaped death. Among these stories are those of famous people whose lives were spared due to small decisions or unexpected changes in their schedules. Here are ten such accounts.
Michael Lomonaco
View this post on Instagram
Michael Lomonaco was the director and head chef at Windows on the World, the famous restaurant located atop the North Tower of the World Trade Center. On the morning of September 11, Lomonaco decided to arrive at work a bit early. Using this time, he stopped at LensCrafters in the towerโs concourse to get his glasses fixed. This errand took longer than he expected. While waiting, he heard the rumble of the plane hitting the tower and was quickly evacuated. Sadly, many of his friends and employees in the restaurant weren’t as fortunate.
Patti Austin
View this post on Instagram
Patti Austin was set to perform at Michael Jacksonโs 30th Anniversary Celebration at Madison Square Garden on September 10, 2001. However, her mother had a stroke back in San Francisco, compelling Austin to fly home early and skip the performance. Had she stayed, she would have been on United Airlines Flight 93 on the morning of September 11, the plane hijacked and crashed in Pennsylvania.
Jim Pierce
Jim Pierce, the managing director of AON Corporation and cousin of then-President George W. Bush, had a meeting scheduled in the South Tower of the World Trade Center on September 11. The meeting group grew too large and was moved to a nearby building to accommodate. Pierce was in this alternate location when the plane struck the South Tower. Unfortunately, twelve of his employees remained in the original meeting location, and eleven of them lost their lives.
Jackie Chan
View this post on Instagram
There is an unconfirmed story about Jackie Chan being set to film a stunt for an upcoming movie at the Twin Towers on the morning of September 11. At the last minute, he traveled to Toronto to film “The Tuxedo” instead, as that movie was facing production problems. Although the plans for filming “The Tuxedo” were likely made long before September 11, it remains possible that Chan had originally intended to be at the towers that day.
Rob Lowe
View this post on Instagram
In September 2001, Rob Lowe was a regular on “The West Wing” and often traveled from Dulles International to Los Angelesโthe same route as the flight that hit the Pentagon. Lowe later learned that he had inadvertently flown with the terrorists on a dry run a couple of weeks before the attacks. He received a letter from the Attorney General of Maryland informing him of this and stating that he might have had to testify against the al-Qaeda leader involved.
Gabourey Sidibe
View this post on Instagram
In 2001, Gabourey Sidibe was a student at Borough of Manhattan Community College. On the morning of September 11, she slept in and missed her class. Later that day, debris from one of the collapsing towers struck her school building, causing severe damage and killing some students and teachers inside. Had she attended her class, Sidibe may not have survived.
Ian Thorpe
View this post on Instagram
Ian Thorpe, the Australian Olympian swimmer, was visiting New York City on September 11. He went for a run that morning and decided to play tourist at the Twin Towers. Before heading to the towers, he went back to his hotel room to fetch his camera and travel companion. While in his room, he turned on the TV and saw the news of the planes striking the towers. His change in plans likely saved his life.
Sarah Ferguson
View this post on Instagram
Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, was planning to be in the offices of her charity, Chances for Children, on the 101st floor of the North Tower on the morning of September 11. However, she was running late due to an interview on “Good Morning America.” Had she been on time or the interview been on schedule, Ferguson would have been in her office and likely perished in the attack.
Mark Wahlberg
View this post on Instagram
Mark Wahlberg had a ticket for American Airlines Flight 11 from Boston to Los Angeles, but he decided to cancel his plans about a week before the flight. Instead, he and his friends went to Toronto to watch another friendโs movie at the Toronto Film Festival. This last-minute decision spared his life. Wahlberg later controversially commented that he would have thwarted the hijackers had he been on the plane.
Seth MacFarlane
View this post on Instagram
By September 2001, Seth MacFarlane was already a well-known creator, with his show “Family Guy” in its third season. He was scheduled to fly back to Los Angeles on the morning of September 11 after giving a talk at his alma mater in Rhode Island. However, he was suffering from a hangover, overslept, and was given the wrong departure time by his travel agent. As a result, he missed American Airlines Flight 11 by just 15 minutes. This series of events saved his life.
